on Writers Helping Writers:

When I set out to write Book 2 in my Fountain series, I made the common mistake of thinking it would be easier than the first one, which took me more than four years to write. After all, I’d already created the world and gotten to know my characters inside and out. I knew what I wanted their next adventure to be. What could possibly be so hard about continuing a story I already knew so well?

But when I sat down with my detailed outline and started writing scenes, writing that second book was harder. Much harder.

Within the first few chapters, I realized I was repeating myself. The writing was strong enough because I’d learned so much while writing my award-winning debut, but this *new* book was coming out like an abbreviated version of Book 1, and I was even boring myself. I found myself writing things readers already knew about my characters, rediscovering my world, rehashing relationships, and explaining backstory that had already been resolved in Book 1. I was stuck in a loop. I didn’t want my characters to explore the same issues again, but I also couldn’t assume readers remembered every little detail that happened in the first book.

Luckily, I figured out where I went wrong in time to meet tight deadlines while working full time and raising my family, and in the decade since, I’ve helped hundreds of writers tackle their second books with ease.